


A Piece of Heaven in Hell Week

by Essi_Magwayen



Category: Buhay Kolehiyo, PH Campuses, SSU, Sexy Sexy Universities
Genre: Ateneo de Manila University, Birthday Fluff, De La Salle University, EVERYONE FUCKING FORGOT NEO'S BIRTHDAY, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 15:15:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17004078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Essi_Magwayen/pseuds/Essi_Magwayen
Summary: Everyone forgot his birthday; yes that includes the birthday boy himself.





	A Piece of Heaven in Hell Week

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bughaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bughaw/gifts), [Neo ng buhay ko](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Neo+ng+buhay+ko).



> Reading on desktop or a device with a large scale is advised.

 

 

 

 

            _Achoo!_

The sound echoes across the classroom. While the whole class carries on with their exam unbothered, Neo on the other hand, audibly grumbles as he pulls up some tissue from his portable pulls laying on his lap and stuffs it under his nose in complete annoyance. He lowers himself on his arm chair and leans his head back. He reaches under his glasses and rubs his watering eyes. He groans one more time and quickly pulls up his hood over his head to battle the harsh breeze blowing from the window at his left side. Normally Neo cares much about his appearance, he is one to always look crisp and fresh, but today, right after he showered in the morning, he just chose to wear the same oversized dark green hoodie with DLSU written at the front of it which he had been wearing the night before when he was depriving himself of sleep to finish up on more papers.

And this pos exam has been difficult to get through, not because of the subject matter, but because he is running on three hours of sleep, he’s mildly nauseated, he has orals coming after this exam, he looks like a hobo wearing the wrong university merchandise, his eyes can’t stop watering, his nose is itchy and runny because finals week is the perfect time to catch a cold, he’s one cup of coffee away from passing out, everything is going _fantastic_ and _it’s still only fucking Monday._

Neo lets out a long and exhausted sigh.

It takes him a few seconds before he realizes he’s losing time and picks up his pen to start writing again.

And the day drags on while Neo begins to crawl on his knees desperate to taste the end of this hell week.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

           _“Neo!”_

_Neo jolts up from the desk he’s camped on inside the library and sees his friend crouched next to him._

            _“Okay ka lang ba?”_

_His voice and his face is vaguely familiar. He has long and thick fringes, just like someone else he knows._

            _“Got your paper na from earlier, you weren’t in class kasi eh, you fell asleep pala dito.”_

_Says the voice. The man who has a slightly larger frame with rich bronze skin slides him a folded piece of paper. Neo begins to unfold the paper and he feels the man's movement beside him as he squats down to his heels next to Neo’s chair._

            _“Ano, pasado ba?”_

_Neo lifts one of the flaps, and it reveals a solid “F” written in blaring red. The letter begins to grow larger and larger, until it is lifted from the page and it slowly stands up right in front of Neo’s eyes._

            _“Neo?” says the man beside him._

_Everything around him is spinning, he’s no longer in the library, Neo twists his head back, he’s sitting on the toilet seat, he’s trapped in a bathroom stall and the letter still continues to grow, it welds into a darker shade of red, it begins to melt before him, spilling red all over his pants, the monster opens its mouth— IT’S GOING TO EAT HIM—_

Neo jolts up from the desk he’s camped on inside the library. He pants as he blinks rapidly. He feels himself drenched in cold sweat under the thick fabric of his hoodie. He looks around and sees some set of eyes on him from the neighboring desks. Neo apologetically smiles at them and quickly tips his head back down to his desk. He runs a palm over his face.

There’s no F. No failing grade. It was just a dream.

Neo sighs in relief and sinks back into his chair. His eyes turn down to his binder of readings. He brushes his finger over the spot where he had fallen asleep. It’s warm, but at least it’s dry. Thank goodness he didn’t drool on his precious readings.

Neo sighs again. His eyelids droop with each blink of his eyes. He shakes his head and taps his phone on the desk. The time read 7:41 PM. He’s not sure whether he’s eaten anything the whole day besides drinking mug loads of coffee, but he surely feels his rumbling tummy now.

He drags his binder to close it shut and wills the heavy feeling in his body to straighten up. He begins clearing his desk in defeat. _Guess it’s self-care-o’clock_. Neo rolls his eyes at the thought of having to let his weakling of a body rest and replenish itself when he could use that time to procrastinate until he’s ready to write his papers or study for his exams.

The exhausted Atenean scoffs at himself as he stands up to leave the desk.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s dark outside, once Neo leaves the New Rizal Library.  He turns the corner and walks through the darkened campus towards Katipunan Ave. The cool breeze rushes through the air, ruffling dried leaves and gently swishing the branches on the trees that stood tall above him. He catches a whiff of the earth's scent of moist grass and the aging barks of trees. Neo slips his fists into the front pocket of his hoodie as a shiver runs through skin. He suddenly glances down at the letters written on it while walking. A great overwhelming feeling of longing pushes the slightest whimper through his lips.

He misses him. He misses his lover. Their university calendars are finally in sync, but this just means they’re both suffering through finals. Which means they still won’t see each other for another week. He hasn’t seen him in nearly a month, despite talking to him over the phone, or chatting with him almost every day. It’s just different when they’re together. But Neo guesses he’s just going to have to burrow himself under all the jackets he’s stolen from Salle to substitute his overwhelming need to be wrapped around his boyfriend's big, large, warm and healing hug.

His fingers suddenly itch to fish for his phone from the pocket of his messenger bag. He stops by the sidewalk as he unlocks his phone. He scrolls through his screen. It reflects against his thin rimmed and round eyeglasses. He finally finds the contact he was looking for and calls him.

He places his phone against his ear and he decides to start walking again. Several rings later, he’s finally reached the bridge to cross the wide road and Salle hasn’t answered his call. Neo pouts, disheartened by his boyfriend not answering when he just really misses him and wishes he could hear his voice. He slips his phone into his pocket and continues walking towards his dorm.

            “Mish lang naman kita ih. Hmpff.” He mumbles to himself and seals it with a pout.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The door creaks when Neo pushes it open. He struggles to shuffle inside with his hands full; one is struggling to pull the key out of the lock, the other is holding a bag of Honey Butter flavored fries all the while trying to balance his bag from slipping off his shoulder.

Neo manages to twist his keys out in a loud ruckus and he shuts the door with his heel without turning on the lights. He haphazardly tosses his keys on the counter and begins stepping out of his shoes while he sticks a few fries in his mouth. But just when he is about to close his mouth on a fry, he hears a sound from his bed, a spot that he can’t fully see from where he stands in the tiny hallway.

All at the same time, his eyes widen, he is frozen in place, his chest starts pounding and his palms get clammy. What if someone is breaking into his unit, and he stepped in!  What if he gets murdered! What if he never gets to see—

Neo places his palm over his nose and his mouth, keeping whatever sound of terror inside him. Whoever’s inside his unit can lunge at him at any time! As quietly as he could, he steps over to the counter and takes the bread knife with a sharp and deep set of teeth. He will _saw_ out flesh if it needs be! He grips the handle tightly.

He steps deeper into the hallway, where he idly peeks at the corner— THERE’S THAT SOUND AGAIN! It sounds like… Neo cranes his neck. The room isn’t lit, but he’s stayed here long enough to know what his bed looks like when it’s empty—  and it’s not empty right now!

The large figure that seems to be sprawled out on his bed twitches, and it SNORES LOUDLY— Neo yelps, startling himself from the sound and slaps his hand on the wall, accidentally turning the lights on— he sticks his arm out, bread knife pointed at the figure— and the figure’s loud snore cuts off short in a startle— he jolts up from the bed with wide eyes—

             “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

             “AAAAAAAHHH!!”

Labored pants fill the tension in the room that was riding on a high. They lock eyes.

Neo drops the knife. Salle’s high-pitched laughter replaces their silence. Neo’s whole body relaxes. He clutches his chest and breathes out a pathetic laugh. Salle cackles on Neo’s bed, his laughter echoing in his room, and ringing in his head while his eyes disappeared in his smile. Neo wheezes at their ridiculousness and rubs his eyes from under his glasses that are beginning to water.

             “You’re so fucking stupid!”

Neo yells at Salle mid-laughter. It throws Salle into a bigger fit, making him flop back down on the bed. Neo lunges for his bed and skips on his toes. He lands on Salle, straddling his hips between his legs, bouncing the foam under them. Neo lowers himself over Salle, feeling the warmth of his skin press on his.

He reaches out and pinches both of Salle’s cheeks.

              “You scared meeeee!!!”

Salle laughs again from under him and reaches up to wrap his fingers around Neo’s wrists. The last of his laugh disappears, and his lips fall into a fond smile. Neo unknowingly releases Salle’s cheeks and replaces them with a gentle brush of his fingers. Salle looks up at Neo with soft eyes. They stare into each other’s eyes, losing themselves for a moment.

Neo’s lashes dip once, a dumbfounded smile rests on his lips. He doesn’t know what he did today, he just asked and now he’s received his wishes. Neo straightens up and sits on Salle’s stomach, both of his palms resting at his lover’s chest. Salle places his fingers over Neo’s.

              “Think you could have actually disarmed me with a bread knife?” Salle teases. Neo giggles.

              “It’s sharp kaya! I use it to cut my pande _salles,_ ” Neo applies pressure on his palms where he knows Salle’s _pandesals_ would be.

It brings a snicker through his lover’s lips.

              “So bakit ka nanditooo?”

Neo hates himself. He knows he’s unconsciously acting cute. He can hear his own voice pitching higher, but he doesn’t give a fuck. His boyfriend is miraculously here after a long day and he’s going to smother him with love and affection, and he’ll get one of those warm, healing hugs.

             Salle chuckles. He reaches out and brushes his palms over Neo’s thighs. “Wala, surprise lang kita.”

Neo leans his head to the side as his eyes shut and hums in delight. He can physically feel endorphins releasing over his skin.

Salle snickers from under him, finding himself at awe with this oddly sappy boyfriend of his.

              “Kilig ka ba?” Salle asks.

Neo only shrugs happily. Salle lets out a pathetic laugh. After a few seconds, he sits up leans his weight on his palms.

              “Well the surprise doesn’t stop there kasi I got some stuff for you.”

Neo finally opens his eyes and straightens up with sparkling eyes.

              “Why is this happeninggg?”

              Salle giggles. “Why not?”

              “Because you have finals din kaya!” Neo pouts. He scavanges his brain for any other reason as to why Salle necessarily has to be here at such a hectic, crucial time in the academic calendar. And he finds it. “Is it our anniversary!?”

              “What!?”

Salle stares at Neo wide eyed in complete surprise. In a split second, Neo’s eyes widen in fear. His voice lowers into a sheepish whisper.

              “Is it not?! Oh—”

              “’Di mo alam kailan anniversary natin?”

              “I mean uhh…” Neo searches his room for some answers. “I’m under a lot of stress this week.”

Salle clap backs in a giggle. He reaches out and gently strokes Neo’s face.

              “Well don’t worry babe, I’m here to make at least the night of your birthday stress free.”

Neo was just about nuzzling his face into Salle’s palm when he hears his lover’s words get to him.

              “Birthday!?”

Salle merely nods with his evidently amused smile.

              “Babe, it’s not my birthday kaya,” Neo shakes his head. “You’re joking me.”

             “Bobo ka. Check the calendar you dumbass.” His lover lets out another open mouthed laugh.

              “I’m not bobo! Hmpf!” Neo pouts but fishes for his phone. Salle brings his face nearer to Neo’s teasingly. As Neo rambles on, Salle closes their distance and nuzzles his nose on Neo’s cheek. Neo wraps his arm around Salle’s neck while unlocking his phone. “My birthday’s on December 10 babe, that’s next week pa kaya, I know it is I—”

              “Hmmm?” Salle teases.

              “Oh.” Is all that Neo could say as he reads December 10, 2018 from his phone.

Salle chuckles into Neo’s skin. He kisses his soft, reddening cheek. Salle pulls away to catch Neo’s dumbfounded face.

              “Well then! Guess it’s time for you to blow…” Salle quirks his eyebrow seductively.

And Neo plays along with a smirk on his lips. He straightens up, tossing the phone on the bed, and grips Salle’s pecs.

              Salle laughs. “Blow your candle kasi!”

              Neo giggles, “I knew that.”

His boyfriend looks up at him with a delighted smile. He gives him a little squeeze at his bottom before patting it lightly.

              “Up, up.”

With a cute smile, Neo untangles himself from Salle’s frame, but remains standing in between his legs at the edge of the bed. Salle casually leans down to reach for something under the bed, he does this while holding on to Neo’s wrist for balance or maybe it’s just because his body can’t resist not staying in physical contact with him. Neo hears the ruffling of what seems like paper and plastic.

Salle gently pulls his hand out from under the bed, and he reveals to both of them a boquet of three sunflowers wrapped in midnight blue wax paper and a pale green ribbon made of fabric. Neo’s breath hitches. His chest begins to tighten in the best way possible.

Salle looks up at him and holds the boquet close to him.

              “Okay ka lang, love?”

The questions makes Neo breathe out an airy laugh. He waves his hand.

              “Yeah… just...” He carefully takes the boquet from Salle’s hand. “Overwhelmed..” He smiles at the vibrant yellow Sunflower petals with fondness.

He can feel his face heating up, but he couldn’t help it. Salle rises from the bed and pulls Neo close by the waist, careful not to crush the flowers between them. Their eyes meet, and Neo feels like he’s going to melt in a Salvador Concepcion’s arms and make a mess on his floor. Neo raises his boquet a little bit to hide his face from his boyfriend’s eyes who poured love and passion into his.

It causes Salle to laugh as he watches his boyfriend lose composure in his arms. He sways them a little and plants a kiss to his forehead. Neo feels like giggling again like he’s on some kind of high. Just then, Salle pulls away and guides him to his floating desk by the wall across the bed. As Salle steps away to get something from the refrigerator, Neo stands by his desk watching his man with heavy lids and a lovestruck smile. Salle glances at him and chuckles. If Neo were in his normal state, he would have rolled his eyes at him.

His lover retrieves a red box from the ref and he closes the door with his heel. He then moves next to Neo and unboxes the cake. It is his favorite mocha flavored cake, but it has green icing on its surface. Neo reads out loud:

 

              To: Neo my mahal,

              Animo Lozol will dethrone the eagles next season

                                          Love, Green Archer

 

Salle claps back in laughter while balancing the cake in his hands. He even stomps his foot on the floor. The message is absolutely enough for Neo to roll his eyes dramatically.

              “Ugh you guys didn’t even make the finals nga eh!”

His boyfriend’s laughter echoes louder in the room, but it rings sweetly in Neo’s ears. Neo watches as his lover’s hair bounce while he laughed, he watches how his eyes disappear in his smile, how his voice will echoe endlessly in his head for days on. Neo smiles at him.

He doesn’t know what he did to deserve someone like Salle. Salle who has come all the way here at the beginning of both their hell weeks just to celebrate his birthday that even he himself forgot.

Neo doesn’t exactly believe in God or religion, but he thanks whatever cosmic phenomenon that let Salle exist. He thanks whatever higher power there is for letting him meet someone like him, for letting them be together, in love.

As Neo’s thoughts and emotions run, he barely notices Salle planting the tiny blue candle into the cake. Salle struggles to light up the candle with one hand, even sticking out his tongue in concentration. This is what cuts off Neo’s running thoughts of what he can only call prayer. Neo giggles.

              “Such a kid,” he mumbles to himself.

Salle hears it and lights up with an innocent smile, _like a kid_. He puts the lighter on the table and holds the cake out.

              “Oh wait lang!”

Salle reaches into his pocket to quickly fish out his phone. He unlocks the screen and presses on an app with a camera icon. He navigates through the app.

              “Salle the candle’s melting na!”

              Salle giggles. “Ito na!”

Finally his phone screen reveals Neo in the frame, wearing his DLSU hoodie, holding his flowers in front of the cake with a tiny lit candle.

              “Happy birthday day to youuuuu,”

Salle sings. Neo giggles at him, at the camera.

              “Make a wish, love!”

Neo shuts his eyes.

               _I wish for us. For love. For our future._

Neo blows the candle.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

After the lovers’ mini-celebration of delivered wings, pizza, canned ice cream, soggy honey buttered flavored fries and two hours of silence for their studies, they find themselves well settled on the birthday boy’s bed with the lights off, in each other’s arms.

The light from Salle’s screen reflects on his skin while he scrolls through his phone. Neo nestles onto his lover’s side with one of Salle’s arm around him. His fingers absentmindedly brushes against Neo’s side.

Neo nuzzles his face on his lover’s shirt. Salle is busied by scrolling through his gallery of pictures from tonight. He stops at one photo; the one where Neo’s just about to blow the candle.

              “DLSU looks good on you.”

Neo breathes out a snicker into Salle’s skin. His voice sounded so soft and gentle. Neo would like to fall asleep to it every day of his life if it were allowed.

              “Finals been that bad that you chose to wear this in campus?” Salle teases with a hushed voice.

Neo hums. With each blink of his eyes, his lids grow heavier. He burrows deeper into Salle’s side, as if their skins touching wouldn’t suffice. His lover’s large hand slowly trails up from his side to his head. Salle strokes Neo’s hair.

              “Missed you.” Neo whispers.

His words pull a light smile on Salle’s lips. He reaches to put his phone on the side table and strokes his lover’s hair in silence. This is the first time in weeks that he’s able to touch Neo.

              “Missed you too, love.” Salle whispers back.

He shuts his lids and nods once; a thanks for every good thing that has happened today. He twists his head and plants a tender kiss on his lover’s forehead.

Just when they are both about to drift into unconsciousness, he hears his name.

              “Hey Salle,”

              “Hm?”

              “You better not fail in your finals bukas.”

Salle softly chuckles.

              “Pataasan pa tayo ng grade,”

Neo giggles in an equally soft manner.

              “Hey Salle,”

              “Yes Neo?”

              Neo smiles into his lover’s skin. “Thank you.”

With that, Salle turns to his side, pulls Neo closer to him and wraps him with both arms.

              “Mahal kita, gago.”

              Neo sighs. “I love you too... Panget.”

 

They tickle each other's skin with giggles. Maybe Neo just has a belief, but it surely feels as if Salle’s words, his voice, his arms around him, his everything, gives him healing. It gives him the right push to restart, start fresh, and take on his finals week head on.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

         **_sallevador posted a story_**

                  Happy birthday to youuuuu!

                  Make a wish, love!

         **_neo_loyola posted a story_**

                   “ _Thanks for being the only one who_

                   _remembered my birthday”_

 

              **December 11, 2018**

_12:04 AM_

**utakandpuso:** PUTANGINA SHET NEO

NAKALIMUTAN KO SORRY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TANGINA I LOVE YOU

_12:06 AM_

**miaxaquino:** Neo!! I’m so sorry love I

totally forgot!! Let’s go out

this week, after finals!

I love you B! Happy Birthday!!

_2:35 AM_

**engrkabedon:** Neooo!

Happy birthday!

_2:40 AM_

**baedazzled:** TANGINANG SALLE YAN

DI AKO SINABIHAN!

HBD Neo! My bday gift to u

is to make sapak the archer lol

_4:23 AM_

**asiapacificers:** In my timezone it’s still your

bday!!! Loool

Happy birthday bb!

My gifts are on the way!!

_7:32 AM_

**friessies:** OMG kaya pala di umuwi

                                              si kuya HAHAHA

Belated Happy Birthday

                                              to the best brother in law!!

_7:57 AM_

**mangtomas:** haberday to u buuui!

_7:59 AM_

**yssamess:** Uuuuy happy birthday Neo!

 

         **_neo_loyola posted a story_**

                   “ _It’s alright guys, he’s literally the_ _only one_

 _who remembered_ _”_

_“bec I forgot too LOOOL”_

_9:12 AM_

**essi_mag:** THANK GOD BEC I FORGOT

                                              TOO SHET HAHA HAPPY

                                              BIRTHDAY PARIN THO

                                              Cute niyo parin ni salle

                                              more powers. GOOD LUCK

                                              SA FINALS BBY.

_10:23 AM_

**bloooie:** wow neo u actually forgot ur

                                              own bday

                                              and u kno what same lol

                                              no birthdays on hell week

                                              apparently woops HAHAHAH

                                              Happy birthday tho!!

                                              Good luck with finals!

 

          ** _neo_loyola posted a story_**

                   “ _Thanks to everyone who greeted!”_

_“Walwal at Walrus this fri all on me!!! _”_  _

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (vld ended with s8 and im coping by writing actual canon gays on a whim. This is a better coping mechanism than mourning and drowning in spite and hate. Respect the creators, they did their best.)
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEO! *YELLS* I'm so sorry I fucking forgot your birthday even if I didn't have finals HAHAHA BASTA ANG ALAM KO DECEMBER BIRTHDAY MO SHET. And because I completely forgot, here's a fic for our baby birb because this baby is not to be forgotten.
> 
> GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO JUST TOOK FINALS. Godspeed. May all of you pass in flying colors.
> 
> Mama Essi supports you all!
> 
> Yell at me [@essi_mag](https://twitter.com/essi_mag) for 24/7 Buhay Kolehiyo screaming.


End file.
